Chapter 82: Going Up the Mountain

"Done for, done for, done for—what a useless teammate, what a useless teammate!" Yu Dazhang hopped on the spot, muttering nonstop:

"How did I end up with such a useless teammate? I really brought this on myself!"

He quickly dialed the number, but the ringtone ended without Zhang Sen picking up.

He tried again—same result.

Phone on silent?

Yu Dazhang could only open that text message again, hoping Zhang Sen had left some useful information.

【Don't blame me, I'm just the most ordinary cop there is. I never even imagined I'd one day become a criminal investigator】

【I don't have a mind as meticulous as yours—that's why I've stayed in the Second Brigade for four years】

【But I'm already content. Four years on the force, and I believe I've done justice to this uniform I wear】

【Kindness, fairness, justice—to me, these aren't grand slogans hung on a wall, but my professional code】

【When people turn their heads away, unable to bear witnessing evil under the sun, a police officer turns to face it, staring down the devils in the shadows】

【What I believe in, I'll put into action】

Great, great, great—playing the PUA game with me, huh… Yu Dazhang felt his head buzzing, as if it might explode at any moment.

He stared fixedly at the text on his phone screen—that message that looked like a farewell note—and his heart went cold.

He knew Zhang Sen had gone with no intention of coming back.

Chasing him was out of the question—when it came to speed, Zhang Sen hopping on one leg was faster than he could catch up.

If he didn't go, he could just wait in this town for the task force to arrive, and he definitely wouldn't take the fall.

Zhang Sen's purpose in sending him that text wasn't to say goodbye.

He wanted to use this seemingly noble-sounding way to take all the responsibility onto himself, thereby clearing Yu Dazhang of any connection to the matter.

When the time came, Yu Dazhang would only need to show the text to the leadership, and all the blame would land on Zhang Sen.

"What the hell are you playing at, acting like some saint!" Yu Dazhang couldn't help cursing at his phone:

"Do I need you to take the fall for me!"

Great, now there's no way back at all… Yu Dazhang had never once thought of clearing himself of responsibility.

A two-man team—one person knows there's danger ahead and still insists on going to investigate, while the other chooses to stay put and wait for backup.

It sounds reasonable, but it sure doesn't sound good!

From the moment the two of them formed a team, they were one unit.

Just like those two officers who'd lost contact—if something happened, it happened to both of them; there was absolutely no scenario where one survived alone.

Yu Dazhang understood clearly: Zhang Sen going like this was the same as forcing him onto a dead-end road.

If he didn't go, he wouldn't be able to stay in the criminal investigation unit anymore.

What's the difference between showing this text to the leadership and tattling?

Wouldn't that just mean living as the very kind of person he hated most?

After some deliberation, Yu Dazhang dialed Lu Zhongxin.

"Master, get to Fenglin Town as fast as you can."

"I'm already heading your way." Lu Zhongxin's voice was urgent:

"Just now Captain Wei gave the order, telling the few teams nearby to go support you."

"Remember the current time." Yu Dazhang said softly:

"If three hours from now I still haven't sent word, once you reach Fenglin Town don't bother looking for evidence. By then…"

"I will be the evidence."

Lu Zhongxin was stunned for a moment before he grasped the meaning of Yu Dazhang's words, and immediately shouted:

"You're not going anywhere! Just wait for me in Fenglin Town. I'll be there in two more hours. Do you hear me!!"

At this moment, Yu Dazhang was very calm.

Once a person has made up their mind, all the previous hesitation and helplessness vanish completely, leaving only resolve and determination.

"Master, I've got no way back. If I…"

Yu Dazhang felt the next words were too inauspicious, so he swallowed them back. After a pause, he continued:

"When you go up the mountain, remember to load your magazine full."

"Yu Dazhang, you dare—! You give me—" Before Lu Zhongxin could finish, Yu Dazhang hung up the phone.

Sitting on the bed, he took a deep breath, took out his service pistol, and removed the magazine.

He unloaded the topmost blank round, replaced it with a live round, then topped off the magazine.

When going out on a call, the topmost round in the magazine had no bullet.

The upcoming operation was too dangerous—Yu Dazhang didn't want any slip-ups.

After finishing all this, he checked once more, confirmed there were no issues, and only then got up and left the inn.

Twenty minutes later, a taxi stopped at the foot of the mountain.

After getting out, Yu Dazhang looked up at the mountain path above, his eye twitching a few times. So high~

"Brother, can you drive up a bit further? This slope doesn't look that steep to me."

"Buddy, even if I wanted to, my car couldn't take it."

After taking the money, the driver firmly refused Yu Dazhang's unreasonable request.

What a pain… watching the taxi drive away, Yu Dazhang shook his head helplessly, turned around, and headed up the mountain.

Luckily, the mountain path wasn't as hard to walk as he'd imagined—it took him less than half an hour before he spotted a village.

On the surface, ahead was just an ordinary village—red brick and tile houses, roads paved with bluestone slabs.

At the door of every household sat various farm tools, crops, firewood, and the like.

As he drew nearer, he was quickly spotted by the villagers.

"Kill!!"

A little boy, appearing eleven or twelve years old, charged at Yu Dazhang wielding a dagger made of cardboard.

Please... collect... 6... 9... Book... now....!

Behind him trailed a group of children of various ages.

Each held a homemade weapon: paper knives, paper guns, paper swords, and even a paper-made submachine gun.

The lead little boy wore a foolish expression on his face, giving the impression of a landlord's dim-witted son.

He looked exactly like that kind of intellectually deficient, spoiled brat coddled by his parents.

"Stop fooling around!"

Yu Dazhang snatched the dagger from the boy's hand and tore it into shreds in a few strokes.

The little boy, seemingly not expecting this, stared blankly at the dismembered dagger on the ground.

"Whose child is so unruly?" Yu Dazhang grabbed the boy's arm, refusing to let go, and shouted loudly:

"Where are your elders?!"

"Waaaaah~~~~~" The little boy burst into tears immediately.

"Cry your grandfather!" Yu Dazhang yanked hard, lifting the little boy off his feet:

"Cry again and I'll throw you down the mountain."

That trick worked as expected; the little boy, who had been wailing, immediately fell silent.

He's not stupid after all... Yu Dazhang muttered to himself.

Still, to possess such acting skills at this age counts as talent.

Seeing the strange, large, and fierce-looking fat man glaring at them, the surrounding children all stepped back a few paces.

"You lead the way; I'm going to his home to find his parents!" Yu Dazhang said in a commanding tone.

Perhaps intimidated by his aura, the children silently took the lead ahead of him.

Arriving before the large iron gate of a household, the children stepped aside.

Seeming reluctant to face the people inside, they all ran away as soon as they saw Yu Dazhang raise his hand to knock.

After just a few knocks, the iron gate was pulled open from within.

A middle-aged woman stood behind the door looking at him; after a moment, she glanced at the little boy whose arm Yu Dazhang was holding.

"What is this?" she asked, her tone very cold.

"Your child took a piece of broken cardboard and ruined my clothes," Yu Dazhang said, seething with anger.

Hearing this, the little boy protested loudly:

"I didn't."

"Say that again!" Yu Dazhang lifted him up once more.

"Don't use force; let's talk it out," the middle-aged woman hurriedly advised:

"Come inside and discuss the matter."

Too smooth... Yu Dazhang had been waiting for her to say exactly that.

Even at the doorway, he had smelled a faint scent of rust, and his mind had already grown alert.

Entering the courtyard, he saw a two-story self-built house, though it looked somewhat old, as if not built in recent years.

He cast a seemingly casual glance around.

Finally, his gaze settled beside a pile of firewood against the wall, where a one-meter-square wooden board lay on the ground.

Too lucky... Yu Dazhang secretly rejoiced in his heart.

The scent was coming from there.

A rust smell that even the mountain wind couldn't blow away, mixed with a salty, fishy odor.

It had been a while since he smelled such pure blood.

It's the beginning of the month; let me see who has votes but hasn't cast them. Don't force me to kneel and beg you!!

(End of this chapter)